Combined Fates
by four screws loose
Summary: Theres a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. How does Snape know her? What is her reason for being there?


Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. I only own the new DADA teacher. And my new Good Charlotte CD (Which is sort of Bootlegged) () Now READ!!! (Oh! Hey look, I found my sock! Yeah... I own this too. Brandishes dirty stripy sock).

A new year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had begun. The Boy Who Lived would be starting his sixth year in the large castle, along with his closest friends Ron and Hermione. Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school was currently giving his very long and somewhat boring welcome speech. The first year students had already been sorted out into the appropriate houses and most of the other students were waiting eagerly to be fed after their long journey upon the Hogwarts Express. Harry, on the other hand was gazing curiously at the long staff table at the front of the large dining hall. Hermione, noticing this urged him to pay attention; "Harry, Professor Dumbledore could be saying something really important and you're zoning out!" She whispered furiously at him. "I refuse to fill you in on what you missed this time. I can't constantly keep—"

"Look." Harry cut her off. "We have a new professor. I can't get a clear shot of them, whoever they may be.... Do you suppose it's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"Possibly..." She, too, gazed at the table before them.

"Yes, and before I forget," The elderly headmaster's voice boomed throughout the hall suddenly, startling many and causing Ron-who was beginning to snore- to jump visibly. "A great deal of you have probably noticed that we have a new staff member joining us this year. I present to you, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Serenity Snape!" He gestured the figure seated at the end of table, bathed in the shadows, who stood up and forward. The woman bowed deeply, with a grand smile playing on her finely sculpted thin lips before taking her seat once more. Silence fell heavily on the room for a moment, and Harry noticed Professor Severus Snape slouch considerably in his seat at the other end of the table. Then applaud erupted like wildfire, growing steadily stronger for at least a minute.

"Did you see his face? He didn't look at all pleased." Hermione commented once back up in the Gryffindor Common room.

"A bit more bitter than usual, I'd say. He looked as if he could kill someone." Ron grumbled, plopping warily down into an over-stuffed armchair near the crackling fireplace. Harry and Hermione joined him, both nodding.

"I wonder what the relationship between them could be?" She inquired. Flipping a loose strand of hair over her shoulder. "For all we know, they could just have a common name, and that's it."

"Yea, right. The look on Snape's face definitely said that there was a relationship of some kind between them. The male Snape that is." Said Harry.

"Man! Two Snapes! This is gonna' get bloody confusing. And ugly. Here we thought that one Snape was bad enough and now we've got _two_!" Ron blew out an exasperated sigh through his teeth. Then, absentmindedly he asked to no one in particular, "I wonder what she's like?"

"Well, at least we know she's capable of a smile. One that's not evil or slimy."

Classes the following day went as per usual the first day. Although, in potions, Severus Snape assigned seven paragraphs to be written for the next day on the intoxicatingly deadly Sylicus potion. All through class he was on edge, teetering precariously on the border of staying calm and breaking something. Poor Nevil, on the other hand managed to break three glass phials (luckily they were empty), when he tripped and fell headfirst into a shelf. The Potions master was unusually quiet on this matter for some time before deciding to deduct a large amount of points from the Gryffindor house, and half of that number from the Slytherins for laughing and disrupting his thoughts; a strange way to welcome his beloved Slytherins back to school.

When the time finally came to finally go to Defense Against the Dark Arts (or DADA as some students called it), the three friends found themselves increasingly anxious to meet their most recent teacher. Hermione lead the way in confidently and took her usual seat, followed closely by Ron and finally Harry, who trailed behind a bit. "I'll bet she's just as cool as our favourite Potions master." Draco Malfoy was heard to say to his cronies Crabbe and Goyle. He turned to face the Griffindor trio. "I hope you're ready for punishment, Potter, because you're about to get it."

"Shove it Malfoy!" Ron hissed at the arrogant blond. "For all you know, she could like neither house and praise the Hufflepuffs."

The door creaked open and the whole room was hushed. A moment later, a dark-haired woman entered struggling with an arm full of books. Shutting the door with her foot, she strode over to her desk, dropping the pile of texts unceremoniously down with a loud **bang** that echoed off the cold stonewalls. She winced visibly before turning to the class, a smirk spreading across her pale features. Harry nearly gasped at the brightness of her sapphire eyes, shining merrily, contrasting against the blackness of her hair which cascaded down her back in a long braid. However, her hair had odd red streaks running through her hair as if she had purposely dyed them there herself only the night before. "Hello!" She greeted, clasping her hands together and bouncing slightly on her toes. Scanning the adolescents' faces through thick-framed rectangular glasses that sat pushed up on her slightly long sharp nose, she grinned. "Come now! No need to be so nervous on your first day back! I won't bite you, you know.... I swear!" Nervous laughter flittered through the room. If there was one thing noticeable about her manner of speech, it was her accent: purely American. And judging from the way she held herself, her posture and otherwise, told the class that she didn't grow up in Europe. "Well, seeing as how none of you are very sociable today, perhaps I can force you to talk! We can take this time to get to know each other, since I know none of you and you know nothing of me." She glanced around the room.

"This is bullshit." Malfoy muttered loudly. Goyle nodded dumbly in agreement.

"Ah! Our first volunteer! What's your name?" She was looking directly at the platinum blond Slytherin.

"Who me?" He asked, glancing around stupidly, trying to look even the slightest bit innocent.

"Yes, you. The one who said this is bullshit." The class erupted into giggles for a moment at Draco having his own words used against him.

"Uh, Draco Malfoy." He said as if he expected her to drop to her knees and start kissing his feet.

"Well Draco- such a lovely name, by the way- why don't you start the class off by telling us a little about yourself?"

"....Like what?" He practically snapped.

She regarded him coolly, noticing his attitude. "Like something you enjoy, a hobby, something like that."

"Uhh...." So far he looked mildly confused. "I like being a Slytherin... and playing Quidditch. And winning the house cup."

"See, that wasn't so bad. Now how about you, young sir?" She pointed to Nevil with a hand that was adorned by many interesting rings, as was her other. The class continued like this for some time, until finally everyone had introduced themselves. The only person left was the teacher herself.

Slowly Hermione raised her hand. When called on she replied, "What about you, Professor? You still haven't told us anything about yourself."

"What would you like to know?" She asked not just to the girl, but to the entire class. A Slytherin boy in the back raised his hand.

"Are you related to Professor Snape... the Potions master?" He asked cautiously. Serenity chuckled.

"Yes." She answered.

"Are you married to him or something?" A Gryffindor inquired. "Are you his cousin?" Asked another. "His daughter?!"

"Neither. I'm his sister." She explained. "But I didn't grow up with him."

"Are you from the States?" This time is was a Slytherin in the front.

"Yes. I lived there for quite some time. Until I was about thirteen, I'd think."

"Did you attend Hogwarts too?"

She smiled. "When I was thirteen I moved to England to attend Hogwarts, but before that I was enrolled at a private Muggle middle school in New York."

"Then how did you learn magic?"

"From my somewhat distant Aunt and Cousin, whom I lived with." She sighed. "I'm not telling you anymore about my personal family business, though. It doesn't concern any of you and it is rather confusing. Any other questions?"

A boy on clad in silver and green, who had been whispering to a Gryffindor for quite some time now raised his hand. "Do you prefer Gryffindors or Slytherins?"

She smirked. "Neither. I much prefer Ravenclaws, actually, seeing as how I was one myself."

(A/N): Alright. So here's the first chapter.

You like? Probably not. Anyways, review please (flames accepted).

SoraX


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